Wynn Casino Odds Give Us Food For Thought

As Inside Lacrosse has stated in the past, we don't encourage gambling in any way (watch Philip Seymour Hoffman in the 2003 film Owning Mahony, and you'll understand our stance). But the release of the Wynn Casino's odds for the first round of the NCAA men's lacrosse championship always gives us something to talk about, as it's intriguing to see what the brains in Las Vegas are thinking when it comes to a sport that is only in this kind of spotlight but for a very brief time each year.

You have to wonder if there's a coincidence in the fact that it's the Wynn Casino debuting these odds each year and the joint is owned by tycoon Steve Wynn -- a guy who grew up and attended high school just outside of Syracuse, then went on to attend Penn. Might he have an interest in the sport that reigns supreme in his homeland?

Whatever the case might be, these numbers are fun. They include the projected goal spread for each upcoming first-round matchup, the projected combined goal total for each of those games and the odds of each tournament team winning it all.

Here's what Las Vegas has given us.

Duke -1.5 vs. Syracuse; Total: 20.5
Considering these two teams already played a close one at the Konica Minolta Big City Classic, this seems like an accurate projection. Could certainly see it going either way. Syracuse could cover, but Duke could as well. However, no one would be shocked to see this one turn into a 14-13 kind of matchup, which makes the 20.5 figure a little low. These teams could easily beat that number by a half-dozen goals.

UMass -2.5 vs. Colgate; Total: 22.5
This might be a lot of fans' pick for an upset, given that UMass is believed by some to be a bit more untested than Colgate, winners over Maryland just last week. With two hot teams and a juicy billing, either of these teams could cover that spread. With two potent offenses, this is another one where the goal total might be too low.

Botton line: Proceed with caution, but don't sleep on Colgate. Could be a real smart pick for an upset.

Loyola -5.5 vs. Canisius; Total: 20.5
Loyola's put up big goal totals all season while keeping lower-tier competition at bay. Here, the spread and goal total certainly feel appropriate. A 16-5 finish in the Hounds' favor would surprise no one. However, stranger things have happened in the world of Division I lacrosse.

Bottom line: Loyola to cover feels like a pretty safe bet.

Denver vs. North Carolina- pick 'em; Total: 20.5
They might have it right here, as these two teams are heavy on offense and less than powerful on defense. A toss-up seems appropriate. But this is where the goal total (which for all these games has a narrow range of 18.5 to 22.5) seems potentially low. Two high-flying attack lines and a bunch of outstanding midfielders could help these two squads easily surpass 20.5 goals in a barn-burner.

Bottom line: I'd consider betting on the teams to beat the total. Other than that, too close, man. Too close.

Virginia -1.5 vs. Princeton; Total: 19.5
Here's one where they might have underestimated one of Division I's best teams. However, to be fair, the Cavs have been inconsistent. Still, looking at what the Tigers did — or more accurately, what they didn't do — to close out the seasaon, you have to think that whatever the final score, the ’Hoos could most certainly come away winners by more than a couple goals. They've been stewing over their ACC tourney flop for some time, and the Tigers could be in a bad spot to have to face Dom Starsia's reigning NCAA championship team.

Bottom line: I'd take Virginia to cover. Not messing with that goal total, though.

Johns Hopkins -3.5 vs. Stony Brook; Total: 20.5
Would anyone be startled to see Stony Brook come within four goals of the Jays? This guy would. You have to think giving Hopkins only 3.5 over a team that has a 7-9 record shows that these numbers are not drawn up by those with a deep level of expertise. The Jays should roll in this one. If the teams combine for 20 or 21 goals, they will be mostly tallies by the columbia blue team.

Bottom Line: With Hopkins' stingy defense and intimidating offensive cast, this one shouldn't be close. I'd take Hop to cover, and might consider flirting with a lower goal total. Could see a 14-5 outcome.

Notre Dame -1.5 vs. Yale; Total: 18.5
Here, they tried to project the lowest combined goal output, but they're still too high. Notre Dame contests have seen 18+ goals just three times this season. This one might not see more than 13 to 15 total tallies. Given how well Yale has been playing, it might be worth a shot to take them to cover that small margin. Still, Notre Dame proved to be master of the close game in the regular season. With their defense likely regrouping for this one, the Irish are still the clear favorite here.

Bottom line: Notre Dame should be able to cover that small spread, but I'd be more interested in the goal total. Feels potentially too high.

Lehigh vs. Maryland - pick 'em; Total: 20
Who doesn't love this matchup? But who'd be totally comfortable with their pick? Not this guy. Here's another one where the goal total might be more interesting even if there was a spread. Maryland is known to get teams caught up in physical, grinding grudge matches, and that could spell an opportunity for adventurous fans to take advantage of the 20-goal figure.

Bottom line: Another risky game to avoid, unless you feel strongly about a lower or greater combined output.

Additionally, here's a look at the odds of each tournament team winning the Big Dance.